This invention relates generally to telephone caller identification methods and apparatus.
Many telephone systems offer caller identification services. Caller identification service or caller identity delivery (CID) involves a signal transmitted over a conventional telephone line which identifies the originator of the telephone call to the receiver of the telephone call. To decode the caller information, the receiver may include equipment which is capable of decoding the calling identity delivery information provided over the telephone line.
With caller identity delivery systems, the telephone user can determine who is calling and decide whether or not to answer the call. If the call not answered, it may be picked up by a telephone answering system. By identifying the caller, the user can determine whether he or she desires to answer the phone; however, with caller identity delivery systems, the user usually must go to the telephone in order to determine the identity of the caller. This means that the user has to interrupt his or her ongoing activities to determine whether to answer the call. In some cases it may be just as easy to answer the call as to attempt to determine the caller's identity.
For example, when the user is working on his or her computer system or is watching television, the interruption to travel to the location of the telephone to receive the caller identity delivery information, to some degree, subverts the value of a caller identity delivery system.
Thus, there is a continuing need for better ways to advise telephone users of the identity of a calling party.